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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

CFD Modeling of Concentration Polarization in High-Performance Flat-Sheet Modules

Membrane-based gas separation is a promising, regeneration-free route for industrial CO₂ capture, but its performance is often limited by concentration polarization (CP). Classical 1-D models neglect CP and thus overpredict fluxes, especially for today’s high-permeance, high-selectivity membranes. Therefore, we built a 3-D CFD model that resolves local species transport, boundary-layer resistance, permeate-side effects, and pressure drop in flat-sheet modules. Using the Concentration Polarization Coefficient (CPC) and the overall Effective Membrane CP Index (EAC), the model quantifies how geometry and operating conditions shape CP intensity. Simulations show CP becomes pronounced for advanced membranes, with feed-channel height emerging as the dominant geometric lever: shrinking the gap mitigates CP but raises pressure drop, forcing a trade-off between mass-transfer enhancement and energy cost. These insights emphasize the need for CFD-level analysis in next-generation module design, where 1-D treatments can severely underestimate required membrane area and misguide scale-up.

carbon capture↗
DOE OSTI2013

Advanced Thin Zeolite/Metal Flat Sheet Membrane for Energy Efficient Air Dehumidification and Conditioning

Traditional vapor compression cooling has high power consumption in warm and humid climates due to the water condensation on the evaporator coils. The combining membrane dehumidification and vapor compression cooling process holds promise for efficient drying and conditioning of warm and humid air. In this approach, the water vapor content in fresh incoming air is first reduced below dew point through a high-efficient, in-line membrane dehumidifier, followed by sensible cooling. A membrane with excellent air/water separation performance and low cost is needed to realize this design idea. In this paper, we, for the first time, report on the development of novel thin flat sheet of zeolite membranes for air dehumidification application. The membrane is prepared by deposition of an ultra-thin H 2 O-selective zeolite membrane film (< 2 µm) on a thin (~ 50 µm) porous metal sheet support. Under the testing condition of 32oC and 90% RH feed air, the optimal membrane shows water permeance as high as 1.74×10 -5 mol m -2 Pa -1 s -1 , which is about 1 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than previously reported in the literature, and a water vapor/air separation factor over 500, which allows selective and energy-efficient removal of water out of the humid air by vacuum. In addition, this zeolite/metal sheet membrane exhibits excellent stability as no apparent decline of separation performance is observed during 8-day continuous testing with humid in-house air. To simulate various climate conditions, the membrane is tested over a wide range of separation conditions which include variation in feed air temperature, feed air RH, and permeate pressure. It is estimated that 50% or higher energy efficiency gain over the conventional vapor compression system can be obtained when the membrane separation factor is equal or high than 200. A sensitivity analysis shows that the membrane separation factor and the condenser pressure have significant impacts on the process energy efficiency.

Xing, Rong↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Particle Loading Tests on HEPA Flat Sheet Media at Sub-Ambient Pressures Using a Lunar Dust Simulant

When humans return to the moon under the NASA Artemis program, their activities on the lunar surface will inevitably lead to the intrusion of some level of lunar dust into the lander cabin. Therein the crew would be exposed to the potential hazards of lunar dust and the possibility of subsequent transfer into orbiting segments after docking. The spacecraft’s cabin filtration system will need to be effective at removing the airborne lunar dust to properly purify the breathable cabin air and minimize the spreading of the dust throughout the vehicle and orbital segments through the mission duration. The fine nature of the lunar dust will require high efficiency filtration, such as HEPA. A series of tests were performed in a specially designed recirculating sealed flow loop, for testing filter media and filter elements at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The flow loop was used to assess the performance and capacity of flat sheet filter media at representative cabin pressures using JSC-1AF lunar dust simulant and at high rates of particle loading. The pressure drop across the filter media was measured as a function of accumulated particle mass load at ambient pressure and at two sub-ambient pressures, 0.0703MPa and 0.0565MPa, and at a media velocity that was scaled relative to its pleated configuration. The challenge particle flows were generated by a custom designed particle generator that introduces dispersed particles of the lunar simulant at high concentrations. An optical particle counting instrument provided filter efficiency measurements within the sealed environment. The pressure drop was found to increase linearly with the amount of dust load on the media, for all test conditions, while the starting pressure drop was found to be lower at the lowest sub-ambient pressure case. High filter efficiency was maintained after high particle loads on the media.

Sub-ambient↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Particle Loading Tests on HEPA Flat Sheet Media at Sub-Ambient Pressures Using a Lunar Dust Simulant

When humans return to the moon under the NASA Artemis program, their activities on the lunar surface will inevitably lead to the intrusion of some level of lunar dust into the lander cabin. Therein the crew would be exposed to the potential hazards of lunar dust and the possibility of subsequent transfer into orbiting segments after docking. The spacecraft’s cabin filtration system will need to be effective at removing the airborne lunar dust to properly purify the breathable cabin air and minimize the spreading of the dust throughout the vehicle and orbital segments through the mission duration. The fine nature of the lunar dust will require high efficiency filtration, such as HEPA. A series of tests were performed in a specially designed recirculating sealed flow loop, for testing filter media and filter elements at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The flow loop was used to assess the performance and capacity of flat sheet filter media at representative cabin pressures using JSC-1AF lunar he filter media was measured as a function of accumulated particle mdust simulant and at high rates of particle loading. The pressure drop across tass load at ambient pressure and at two sub-ambient pressures, 0.0703MPa and 0.0565MPa, and at a media velocity that was scaled relative to its pleated configuration. The challenge particle flows were generated by a custom designed particle generator that introduces dispersed particles of the lunar simulant at high concentrations. An optical particle counting instrument provided filter efficiency measurements within the sealed environment. The pressure drop was found to increase linearly with the amount of dust load on the media, for all test conditions, while the starting pressure drop was found to be lower at the lowest sub-ambient pressure case. High filter efficiency was maintained after high particle loads on the media

Sub-ambient↗
NASA NTRS1931

Flat sheet metal girders with very thin metal web. Part III : sheet metal girders with spars resistant to bending - the stress in uprights - diagonal tension fields

This report continues the work presented in NACA-TM 605 and expands the scope to include the change in specific number of wrinkles from direction x to z, so that b and f become variable in direction z. Moreover, it seems likely that b and f increase from the edge toward the center if the sheet is infinitely thin.

Wagner, Herbert↗
NASA NTRS1931

Flat sheet metal girders with very thin metal web. Part II : sheet metal girders with spars resistant to bending - oblique uprights - stiffness

Noting that the stiffness of the girder increases very rapidly as Beta increases, the result can be summed up as follows: When the cross stress preponderates in one direction and when the web plate is to be given the dimensions commensurate to its stresses, it is advisable (regardless of any ensuing structural difficulties) to set the uprights at about Beta = 120 degrees, thereby lowering the weight of the plate wall 15 percent (in contrast to Beta = 90 degrees), and raising the stiffness 55 percent. But, when the cross stresses alternate and are approximately of the same intensity in both directions, or, if the web plate thickness is determined by other structural reasons, then Beta = 90 degrees should be chosen.

Wagner, Herbert↗
NASA NTRS1931

Flat sheet metal girders with very thin metal web. Part I : general theories and assumptions

The object of this report was to develop the structural method of sheet metal girders and should for that reason be considered solely from this standpoint. The ensuing methods were based on the assumption of the infinitely low stiffness in bending of the metal web. This simplifies the basis of calculations to such an extent that many questions of great practical importance can be examined which otherwise cannot be included in any analysis of the bending stiffness of the buckled plate. This report refers to such points as the safety in buckling of uprights to the effect of bending flexibility of spars, to spars not set parallel, etc.

Wagner, Herbert↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hierarchical domain structures in buckled ferroelectric free sheets

Flat elastic sheets tend to display wrinkles and folds. From pieces of clothing down to two-dimensional crystals, these corrugations appear in response to strain generated by sheet compression or stretching, thermal or mechanical mismatch with other elastic layers, or surface tension. Extensively studied in metals, polymers and, — more recently — in van der Waals exfoliated layers, with the advent of thin single crystal freestanding films of complex oxides, researchers are now paying attention to novel microstructural effects induced by bending ferroelectric-ferroelastics, where polarization is strongly coupled to lattice deformation. Here we show that wrinkle undulations in BaTiO3 sheets bonded to a viscoelastic substrate transform into a buckle delamination geometry when transferred onto a rigid substrate. Using spatially resolved techniques at different scales (Raman, scanning probe and electron microscopy), we show how these delaminations in the free BaTiO3 sheets display a self-organization of ferroelastic domains along the buckle profile that strongly differs from the more studied sinusoidal wrinkle geometry. Moreover, we disclose the hierarchical distribution of a secondary set of domains induced by the misalignment of these folding structures from the preferred in-plane crystallographic orientations. Our results disclose the relevance of the morphology and orientation of buckling instabilities in ferroelectric free sheets, for the stabilization of different domain structures, pointing to new routes for domain engineering of ferroelectrics in flexible oxide sheets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1983

Bending Stiffness of Multiwall Sandwich

An analytical and experimental study was carried out to understand the extensional and flexural behavior of multiwall sandwich, a metallic insulation composed of alternate layers of flat and dimpled foil. The multiwall sandwich was structurally analyzed by using several simplifying assumptions combined with a finite element analysis. The simplifying assumptions made in this analysis were evaluated by bending and tensile tests. Test results validate the assumption that flat sheets in compression do not significantly contribute to the flexural stiffness of multiwall sandwich for the multiwall geometry tested. However, calculations show that thicker flat sheets may contribute significantly to bending stiffness and cannot be ignored. Results of this analytical approach compare well with test data; both show that the extensional stiffness of the dimpled sheet in he 0 deg direction is about 30 percent of that for a flat sheet, and that in the 45 deg direction, it is about 10 percent. The analytical and experimental multiwall bending stiffness showed good agreement for the particular geometry tested.

Blosser, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Downwash in the plane of symmetry of an elliptically loaded wing

A closed-form solution for the downwash in the plane of symmetry of an elliptically loaded line is given. This theoretical result is derived from Prandtl's lifting-line theory and assumes that: (1) a three-dimensional wing can be replaced by a straight lifting line, (2) this line is elliptically loaded, and (3) the trailing wake is a flat-sheet which does not roll up. The first assumption is reasonable for distances greater than about 1 chord from the wing aerodynamic center. The second assumption is satisfied by any combination of wing twist, spanwise camber variation, or planform that approximates elliptic loading. The third assumption is justified only for high-aspect-ratio wings at low lift coefficients and downstream distances less than about 1 span from the aerodynamic center. It is shown, however, that assuming the wake to be fully rolled up gives downwash values reasonably close to those of the flat-sheet solution derived in this paper. The wing can therefore be modeled as a single horseshoe vortex with the same lift and total circulation as the equivalent ellipticity loaded line, and the predicted downwash will be a close approximation independent of aspect ratio and lift coefficient. The flat-sheet equation and the fully rolled up wake equation are both one-line formulas that predict the upwash field in front of the wing, as well as the downwash field behind it. These formulas are useful for preliminary estimates of the complex aerodynamic interaction between two wings (i.e., canard, tandem wing, and conventional aircraft) including the effects of gap and stagger.

Phillips, J. D.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Scalable Fabrication of a Fibrous Amine-functionalized Matrix (FAM) Sorbent for Critical Mineral Recovery

We report a novel flat sheet Fibrous Amine-functionalized Matrix (FAM) sorbent platform designed for efficient and selective capture of CM from dilute solutions. The FAM sorbent features crosslinked amine microfilms coated onto/within a glass fiber matrix, providing fast mass transfer and excellent mechanical stability. Systematic batch and flow-through tests with FAM revealed rapid metal uptake kinetics and high capacity for representative species, achieving ~90 mg/g of Gallium, ~100 mg/g of Cobalt, and ~90 mg/g for Neodymium. Moreover, multiple eluents, including mineral acids and complexing agents, enabled highly effective desorption of adsorbed metals, demonstrating the feasibility of regenerating FAM sorbents. Importantly, tests with authentic coal ash leachate demonstrated strong selectivity toward U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-listed CM and rare earth elements over abundant base cations, confirming the robustness of FAM in realistic complex solutions. The flat sheet geometry was amenable to scaling into durable spiral wound modules, highlighting the potential for future regeneration and reuse. This work establishes FAM sorbents as a promising platform for the recovery of CM from wastewaters, advancing both resource sustainability and environmental stewardship.

critical mineral recovery↗
DOE OSTI2012

New Composite Membranes for High Throughput Solid-Liquid Separations at the Savannah River Site

New Composite Membranes for High Throughput Solid-Liquid Separations at the Savannah River Site R. Bhave (Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Oak Ridge, TN) and M. R. Poirier* (Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken SC) Solid-liquid separation is the limiting step for many waste treatment processes at the Savannah River Site. SRNL researchers have identified the rotary microfilter as a technology to improve the rate of solid-liquid separation processes. SRNL is currently developing the rotary microfilter for radioactive service and plans to deploy the technology as part of the small column ion exchange process. The rotary microfilter can utilize any filter media that is available as a flat sheet. The current baseline membrane is a 0.5 micron (nominal) porous metal filter (Pall PMM050). Previous testing with tubular filters showed that filters composed of a ceramic membrane on top of a stainless steel support produce higher flux than filters composed only of porous metal. The authors are working to develop flat sheet filter media composed of a ceramic membrane and/or ceramic-metal composite on top of a porous stainless steel support that can be used with the rotary microfilter to substantially increase filter flux resulting in a more compact, energy efficient and cost-effective high level radioactive waste treatment system. Composite membranes with precisely controlled pore size distribution were fabricated on porous metal supports. High quality uniform porous metal (316SS) supports were fabricated to achieve high water permeability. Separative layers of several different materials such as ultrafine metal particles and ceramic oxides were used to fabricate composite membranes. The fabrication process involved several high temperature heat treatments followed by characterization of gas and liquid permeability measurements and membrane integrity analysis. The fabricated composite membrane samples were evaluated in a static test cell manufactured by SpinTek. The composite membranes were evaluated on several feed slurries: 1 wt. % strontium carbonate in deionized water, 1 wt. % monosodium titanate in simulated salt solution, and 1 wt. % simulated sludge in simulated salt solution and deionized water. Flux as a function of feed flow rate and transmembrane pressure was measured for each of the above described feed slurries. The authors will discuss the new membrane development efforts, waste slurry filtration performance evaluations and scale-up considerations.

Bhave, Ramesh R↗